Quebec City police officer Jacob Picard has been found not guilty of assault charges in connection with a violent arrest in Oct. 2021.
Picard had been accused of using excessive force and faced charges of assault causing bodily harm after surveillance camera footage showed Picard forcefully pushing Mathieu Gamache against a wall of the District bar in Quebec City.
Gamache attended the establishment during the COVID-19 pandemic and was not wearing a mask which was mandatory at the time. He refused to cooperate and resisted the officers.
After the altercation, Gamache suffered several injuries.
The judge said the Picard acted within the bounds of his duties, employing force that was proportionate to the resistance of the intoxicated Gamache.
Judge Rachel Gagnon said the force used as necessary and reasonable in the giv
en situation. Additionally, the judge noted in her ruling that the police officer did not display any signs of losing control during the incident.
Moreover, she said that the plaintiff’s memories were fragmented and his statements contradictory.